Team USA survives Spain scare to reach FIBA Women's World Cup final
A World Cup winning streak stretching back to 2006 came under real pressure on Saturday. Team USA needed a fourth-quarter surge to put Spain away, winning 76-66 to book a place in the FIBA Women's World Cup final against France.
Key takeaways
- Team USA defeated Spain 76-66 on Saturday to reach the FIBA Women's World Cup final against France.
- The game was tied 58-58 entering the fourth quarter before the Americans won the period 18-8 to pull away.
- Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 16 points and 6 rebounds, while Jackie Young added 12 points and Kahleah Copper 13.
- The win extends the U.S. World Cup winning streak that has held across every tournament since 2006, with a fifth consecutive championship now on the line.
- Team USA shot 40% from the field, went 3-for-18 from three-point range, and committed 15 turnovers in the semifinal.
For three quarters, Spain matched a program that has not lost a World Cup game in nearly two decades. The game was tied 58-58 entering the fourth period. Then the Americans won the final period 18-8, and the outcome that had looked genuinely uncertain for most of the afternoon was settled.
The fourth-quarter shift
Breanna Stewart led Team USA with 16 points and 6 rebounds. Afterward she credited the turnaround to basics. "Just continue to do the little things," she said. "Honing in on the rebounding, making sure that we were getting to the offensive glass. Defensively, we picked up in the second half." Jackie Young added 12 points and 5 rebounds, with 6 of those 12 coming in the decisive period as the Americans finally created separation. Kahleah Copper finished with 13. Caitlin Clark, again off the bench, went 0-for-3 from the field and ended with 1 point, 1 assist, and 1 rebound. Paige Bueckers scored 6, Angel Reese 5.
For Spain, Maria Conde and Iyana Martín each scored 17 points. The Spaniards managed only 8 in the fourth quarter, when American defensive pressure finally told.
Against the backdrop of that fourth-quarter swing, the overall line was uneven: 40% from the field, 3-for-18 from 3-point range, 15 turnovers, 9 assists. At halftime, with the U.S. leading 39-36, head coach Kara Lawson said the team needed to be "a little more precise in our coverages" and noted that turnovers had cost the Americans opportunities. She called for the group to "stay aggressive and stay calm."
France in the final
The win extends an American run that has held across every Women's World Cup since 2006. A fifth consecutive championship now goes through France. Stewart called the French "a really tough team" and said the Americans would quickly turn the page. She made the stakes plain: "We're going for gold, and that's what we're going to do." A squad that went 3-for-18 from deep and committed 15 turnovers in a semifinal will need more precision to close the run.
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